This invention relates to a skate park system.
Skate parks are large constructed areas with ramps, platforms, pipes, grind-rails and the like that are used typically by skateboarders, bicyclists and in-line skaters. These structures are fairly expensive to build and maintain and require supervision. Accordingly, they are somewhat uncommon, which limits their access to those who desire to learn tricks and stunts.
There are available on the marketplace several products for home use that replicate portions of skate parks. For example, molded plastic ramps such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,756 are known. These allow the user to launch from a ramp, but only provide one function of a typical skate park. Also, the ramp of this patent specifically requires that the ramp surface extend to the ground and not have a stabilizing lip where the ramp surface meets the ground. Accordingly, this ramp is not entirely stable.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a consumer-level modular skate park system that includes at least one or more ramp members and one or more platform portions. The ramp members can be connected to the platform portions, and the platform portions can be connected to one another to enlarge the platform. This accomplishes a modular system that can have a single ramp and a single platform, or more than one ramp and/or more than one platform.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a system that is stable in use yet is compact to ship and display at retail, yet is easy for the consumer to assemble and use.
This invention features a modular skate park system that is designed for use by people riding bikes, in-line skaters, and skateboard riders. The system comprises one or more molded plastic ramps and one or more platform portions that are configured to be interconnected into the system. The platform portions are connectable along their edges to one or more ramp members.
In the preferred embodiment, the ramp dimensions are forty inches long by twenty-four inches wide by twelve inches high with a curved launch surface. The base of the ramp preferably defines a larger footprint than the launch surface to provide stability in use. This feature is preferably accomplished by flaring the structure out from the ramp surface, which enlarges the ground contact area, and also by providing a lip around the entire periphery of the ramp where it meets the ground, which increases the ground contact area thus stabilizing the ramp. The platform portions are preferably twenty-four inches wide by twenty-four inches long by twelve inches high and comprise an approximately 1.5 inch thick flat top portion that accepts four molded legs that interlock to form a stable support assembly for the platform. This feature allows the platform portions to be made from relatively few parts (five) and be easy to assemble yet shipped flat in a box that is only a few inches thick as opposed to over a foot thick.
One embodiment of the invention is a modular skate park system comprising one or more platform portions, one or more ramp members, and means for connecting a ramp member to a platform portion, to provide the modular skate park system. The modular skate park system may further comprise means for connecting platform portions together along their edges. The platform portions may each define an edge, and the ramp portions may define a lip for receiving an edge of a platform portion.
The ramp members may define a flared lower portion to provide an enlarged footprint. The ramp member may further define a lip around its entire periphery where it meets the ground, to stabilize the ramp member. The ramp member is preferably integrally molded. The platform portion preferably comprises an upper platform member and a lower leg assembly. The leg assembly preferably comprises a plurality of leg members adapted to be removably connected to one another and to the upper platform member. Each upper platform member is preferably integrally molded, and each leg member is preferably integrally molded.
In a more specific embodiment, the invention features a modular skate park system comprising one or more platform portions, wherein each platform portion defines an edge, and in which each platform portion comprises an integrally molded upper platform member and a lower leg assembly, wherein each leg assembly comprises a plurality of integrally molded leg members adapted to be removably connected to one another and to the upper platform member, and a plurality of integrally molded ramp members, each defining a lip for receiving an edge of a platform portion, wherein the ramp members each define a flared lower portion to provide an enlarged footprint, and wherein each ramp member further defines a lip around its entire periphery where it meets the ground, to stabilize the ramp member, and means for connecting a ramp member to a platform portion, and means for connecting platform portions together along their edges.